Slideshow image

 

   
Greetings GraceLife!

Pastor Joe’s message this past Sunday, #25 in the series “A Sinner in Love with God”, this one called “When Truth Becomes White Noise”, based on 1 Samuel 26:17-25, calls us to examine our lives and address whether our knowledge and acceptance of God’s truth is bringing about a change in us or has become “white noise”, something we choose to keep in the background.  It’s a sad story, really, of Saul’s final exchange with David, one in which Saul appears to say the “right” things – admitting his sin and foolishness, asking his son-in-law David to return “home”, even accepting the certainty of David’s future success.  Yet, Saul does not change.  Are we doing the same with some aspect of our lives, that is, hearing and accepting scriptural guidance, but refusing to follow Him?  Once again, this message is available to you for reflection through our website (select “Messages”). 

Podcasts are back!!  As Pastor Joe mentioned last Sunday, GraceLife podcasts have returned, though NOW for our “better together” GL family!  New episodes are normally available each Wednesday, so tune in to listen to interesting interviews and commentary on a wide variety of compelling topics with the latest episode (Episode 3) featuring Pastor Keith!  Access “Living the GraceLife Podcast” with Spotify or Apple Podcasts or other podcast-friendly app. Many thanks to the host Fred Packwood and sound technician Donny Caddy for sharing their gifts in this way.

Please note… Our updated GraceLife Sarasota app is now available for your use!  If you are a previous user of the app, you’ll need to update it, then access and browse around to enjoy our new features!  If you're not as familiar with our app, you'll find you can watch our services live through the app on Sundays, get updates throughout the week, listen to past messages, and on and on!  We hope it is helpful to you!

Here is a quick look at events coming up this week and a look ahead as well.  

May 12th – Tuesday evening Adult Bible Study at MB, 7-8pm, Room 105.  As we continue our study of Judges, tonight we will step back a bit to consider how many times in the book of Judges we see the word “again” and reflect upon what that teaches us with regard to our own lives.  We hope you’ll join us!  

May 13th 

  • Sisters in Prayer at MB, 7pm, Fellowship Corner; no meeting of BLAZE Youth, but  new Student Ministry schedule coming soon!  
  • New Women’s home-based Bible Study, beginning at 6pm with light snacks followed by a study at 7pm.  A flyer with sign-up sheet is available in the MB Lobby.  You may also sign-up online through our website.  See Connie Daidone for details.   

May 14th 

  • Women’s Thursday morning Bible Study at MB, 10:15 - noon, Room 105
  • Deep End Dinner/Bible Study at ML, 7pm  

May 16th – Saturday Men’s Bible Study at MB, Gym Classroom, 201C, 8-9am

May 17th  at MB

  • 8:15 – 8:30am – prayer time with our leadership in Room 105
  • 9am worship service in Auditorium/Sanctuary
  • 10:30am worship service in Auditorium/Sanctuary
  • 10:15 – 11:30am -- Adult Christian Education (CE) merged class in the Gym classrooms; BLAZE Youth classes in the Gym Loft
  • 10:45 – 11:30am -- GL Kids -- infant-5th grade classes    
Looking a little further ahead…!   
June 7th – First Sunday Luncheon; you are encouraged to sign-up for the luncheon (sign-ups available in the MB Lobby starting this Sunday, May 17th, as well as online) AND you are encouraged to bring a side dish to share.  You don’t cook?  No problem!  You are welcome to bring something pre-made at the grocery store – easy peasy!  We will be supplying the main dish (which is Mexican-inspired), but we’ll need accompanying side dishes to ensure we are able to feed our growing numbers – Praise God!   

July 18th – Day4Hope (D4H)  

July 20th-24th – Vacation Bible School!  Volunteer sign-up sheets are now available in our MB Lobby, along with a flyer providing more details about this exciting opportunity to serve.  Sign-ups are also available online.    

Stewardship Thoughts 

A lack of repentance as a result of treating God’s Word as “white noise” is failed stewardship of your heart, because a true steward responds to correction, accepts accountability, and makes changes when they go astray.  Faithful stewardship includes humility – the willingness to admit wrong, turn back, and be realigned with God’s will.  It can be revealing to ask ourselves – am I managing God’s gifts with humility and obedience, and responding quickly to His correction?  

Ministry Spotlight

True ministry begins with ministering to the Lord first.  Before we can faithfully pour into others, we must allow God to search, correct, and transform us continually.  We can pray, “Lord, keep my heart clean before You as I serve.  Do not allow my ministry to become empty activity without Your presence.  Teach me to live in continual repentance, humility, and dependence on You.  Search my heart, correct what is out of alignment, and renew my love for You so that my service flows from sincerity and obedience.  Amen.”    

Blaze Youth Student Ministry

Students in grade 6-12 are invited to join us in the Loft (upstairs MB Gym) during our weekly meeting times.

  • Sunday mornings 10:15-11:30am
  • Sunday evenings 4-5pm
Other Group Prayer Opportunities

In addition to our Weekly Prayer Meetings on Sunday mornings and Monthly Prayer Meetings, we also have a prayer chain here at GraceLife, a way for many to pray for the needs of those in our GraceLife family.  

  • How do I request prayer for myself or others?  You may submit your requests for prayer through our Connect Cards, email, note, text, or verbal request to our leadership or member of our Admin Team, or to Cindy Lanoue-Foster or to me (Dreama).  We’ll then post your prayer request for distribution to those who have indicated their desire to be part of our prayer chain.  
  • How do I become part of the prayer chain?  Just indicate to a member of our Admin Team that you’d like to be part of the prayer chain OR sign up at the lobby’s sign-up table (by the seating area) and we’ll make that happen.  Prayer is powerful and we are privileged to pray for one another.
We continue to seek volunteers in the following ministries…
  • Hospitality Ministry – Volunteers are needed for the hospitality team! Please respond to this email if you are interested in helping prepare/serve food for our fellowship times!  
  • Children’s Ministry – We are so blessed that our Children’s Ministry continues to welcome more and more children to GraceLife!  That means that more and more volunteers are also needed for Sunday mornings! We’re looking for volunteers with servant hearts to help care for our youngest members of the GraceLife family. If you’re interested in serving in our Children’s Ministry, please stop by the Connection Center or contact Jackie. 
  • Greeters and Connection Center – We are seeking more volunteers to serve as Greeters and at the Connection Center for both the 9am and 10:30am Sunday morning worship services.  Whether it’s a first-time visitor to GraceLife or a member of our GraceLife family, we want each person who enters our Lord’s house on Sunday morning to be warmly welcomed, to be assisted as needed, and to be, frankly, surprised at the evidence of abundant love at GraceLife.  If you are interested in serving in this way, please stop by the Connection Center and let us know.  
More about our Sunday Mornings at Mount Beneva
  • Parking – Please let us know of any parking issues you may have.  
  • Lobby
    • Greeters are available to welcome and assist you.  (As you’ll see later in this post, we need more Greeters and Connection Center volunteers!!  If you would like to serve in this way, please speak with someone at our Connection Center.)  Also, visit the Connection Center with questions, or for sign-ups, books, t-shirts and more!  
    • Nametag requests continue to be processed. Nametags can be located in the drawers by the sitting area.  
    • Coffee, snacks and pastries are provided for your enjoyment and are refreshed throughout the morning by our hospitality team. Please enjoy your food in the lobby and bring only lidded beverages into the auditorium/ sanctuary.  Thank you!
  • Open prayer time with our leadership is available to you, Room 105, 8:15 – 8:30am.
  • Worship services are held in the auditorium/sanctuary at 9 and 10:30 am. 
  • Christian Education classes are held from 10:15-11:30am for Adults in the Gym classrooms and our BLAZE Youth in the Loft;  and from 10:45-11:30am for Children in the children’s wing in the main building.  Our Adult CE classes have been merged into one (Better Together!) and are continuing the “Biblical Love” study.  The merged class meets in Gym classroom 201B/C.  Jeff Lawson and Mike Hamel share in teaching the class.

Connect Cards can be found in the auditorium/sanctuary and at the Connection Center.  Use these to provide contact information, request contact from us, or ask for prayer.  (An online version of the Connect Card is also available through our website.)

Reminder

Please identify your giving recipient as “GraceLife Sarasota”. If you have questions, please contact Randy Coryell or Dan Deems.